No silver bullet? Snow leopard prey selection in Mt. Kangchenjunga, Nepal

In this study, we investigated the impact of domestic and wild prey
availability on snow leopard prey preference in the Kangchenjunga
Conservation Area of eastern Nepal—a region where small domestic livestock
are absent and small wild ungulate prey is present. We took a
comprehensive approach that combined fecal genetic sampling, macro- and
microscopic analyses of snow leopard diets, and direct observation of blue
sheep and livestock in the KCA. Out of the collected 88 putative snow
leopard scat samples from 140 transects (290 km) in 27 (4 × 4 km2)
sampling grid cells, 73 (83%) were confirmed to be from snow leopard. The
genetic analysis accounted for 19 individual snow leopards
(10 males and 9 females), with a mean population size estimate of
24 (95% CI: 19–29) and an average density of 3.9 snow
leopards/100 km2 within 609 km2. The total
available prey biomass of blue sheep and yak was estimated at
355,236 kg (505 kg yak/km2 and 78 kg
blue sheep/km2). From the available prey biomass, we estimated snow
leopards consumed 7% annually, which comprised wild prey (49%), domestic
livestock (45%), and 6% unidentified items. The estimated 47,736 kg blue
sheep biomass gives a snow leopard-to-blue sheep ratio of 1:59 on a weight
basis. The high preference for snow leopards to domestic livestock appears
to be influenced by a much smaller available biomass of wild prey than in
other regions of Nepal (e.g., 78 kg/km2 in the KCA compared with
a range of 200–300 kg/km2 in other regions of Nepal). Along with
livestock insurance scheme improvement, there needs to be a focus on
improved livestock guarding, and predator-proof corrals as well as
engaging and educating local people to be citizen scientists on the
importance of snow leopard conservation, involving them in long-term
monitoring programs and promotion of ecotourism.